Basseterre, St. Kitts, August 02, 2017 (SKNIS): Alumni of the University of the West Indies (UWI) came together on August 1, Emancipation Day, to celebrate the inaugural reception of the UWI Global Giving Week at Government house under the theme “Emancipate, Educate, Donate.”
Special invited alumni of the UWI included Governor General, His Excellency Sir S.W. Tapley Seaton; Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris; Premier of Nevis, Honourable Vance Amory; First Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and Living National Hero H.E. Dr. The Right Excellent and the Right Hon. Sir Kennedy Simmonds and Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition and former Prime Minister, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas
UWI officials at the event included Director of the UWI Open Campus Country Sites, Dr. Francis Severin and Pro Vice-Chancellor Global Affairs, His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Richard Bernal. President of the St. Kitts & Nevis UWI Alumni Association, Craig Tuckett, was also present.
During the event, these nation builders reminisced on their experiences at the university much to the delight of the guests.
His Excellency Sir Tapley said that he was indeed pleased to host the event as an alumnus.
“I am particularly happy to do something for my university. As has been said in terms of my CV, I have had a very long and fruitful relationship with the University of the West Indies and I certainly look forward to continuing to support all efforts of the university and that is why I was very happy and honored to be invited to be the patron of the UWI Global Giving for 2017,” said His Excellency.
Also, Prime Minister Harris shared that he was delighted to be a part of the event.
“I am happy to come to the Global Giving Week being inaugurated here for many reasons because one who has served the university for a very long time and to whom the former prime minister made reference to and many of us would know Ambassador Harper, taught me in a very subtle way that it is not always about our receiving and many of us have come tonight because we received what we hope to be a quality education from the university. It is equally important that we get the pleasure of giving,” he said. “This exercise, this week, then is about the alumni of the most prestigious university. Home grown if you will, for us to experience the pleasure of giving back to the University of the West Indies.”
According to an official statement by the UWI, the university aims to continually advance its academic priorities, student support, capital projects and infrastructure, even more so this year, as it nears its 70th anniversary in 2018.
Alumni, faculty, corporations and businesses, friends of the UWI and others were invited to become donors. It was said that the individual and collective impact “will transform the University, and support research, innovation, entrepreneurship and the education and preparation of a new generation of global leaders.”
Donations can be given around the clock at www.uwi.edu/alumnionline. Responsible for the umbrella Global Giving Progamme (GGP) are the Resource Development and Fundraising Offices of the UWI, under which donations are taken for all types of University/Student development.
“The UWI Global Giving Week (GGW) is staged annually under the overall GGP, from August 1 to 7, to raise awareness and encourage continuous giving, by highlighting the following objectives:
Create a culture of sustained philanthropy to UWI across the region/world; Provide a direct and targeted period for UWIs ‘ask’ and donors propensity to ‘give’; Reach all categories of UWI stakeholders; Build relationships with new and existing donors. GGP and GGW Patrons have national, regional and international recognition and visibility, and the commitment and network to lend their names and “solicit” gifts on the university’s behalf,” continued the statement.
